David Calvert

GM, SC

Ulster

Ireland

David started full-bore target rifle shooting in Northern Ireland at Campbell College School, Belfast in 1965. His first international team experience followed three years later as a member of the Ireland National Match team. He has gone on to represent Ireland 39 times in this match, as well as in 37 Mackinnon matches.

His first Great Britain team representation was the tour to Canada in 1975, with his next GB tour 16 years later as a member of the Palma team to USA in 1992. Having (in his own words) “sorted out how to balance work and shooting”, he has toured with the GB team most years since (12 in all, including visits to Australia in 1994 and 2001), been on every Palma team since 1992 and captained the GB team to Canada in 2000.

At home, he has shot 20 times for GB in the Kolapore, 14 of these in consecutive years from 1988 to 2001, a British record. With 8 Australia matches also under his belt, he currently has a staggering 109 'Big 5' appearances to his name.

He has also had a number of individual successes, the most notable of which was last year’s win in Her Majesty the Queen’s Prize at Bisley. He has participated in the past 9 Commonwealth Games for Northern Ireland, winning 4 Gold and 4 Bronze medals, making him Northern Ireland’s most prolific medal winner at the Commonwealth Games.

He is currently a flying instructor with Cambridge University Air Squadron as a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. His main interests, in addition to shooting and flying, include golf, scuba diving and skiing.